


In the Silence

by helsinkibaby



Category: Fame (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Go Softly Into Morning missing scene, Grief, Missing Scene, Pre Relationship, Romance, canon character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-01-25
Updated: 2006-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:46:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26413630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helsinkibaby/pseuds/helsinkibaby
Summary: There’s only one person who knows where to look for Reggie on a day like today.
Relationships: Reggie Higgins/Ian Ware





	In the Silence

Reggie doesn’t move when she hears the door open behind her, doesn’t look around. She doesn’t have to; she knows who it is, knows that there’s only one person who would know where to look for her today. She doesn’t know how long she’s been here, hiding out in the soundproofed music rehearsal room, arms crossed on the closed piano lid, barely has any memory of leaving the classroom. Clear memories stop for her when the door flew open and Mr Dyrenforth burst in, looking more shattered than she’s ever seen him.

She doesn’t remember much past the words, “There’s been a very bad accident.”

The footsteps come closer, and she feels his presence beside her, but she still doesn’t look up. If she does, she will have to look into his eyes, and it will be true, that terrible news that she’s been trying her hardest to avoid.

He doesn’t say anything, but she hears him sigh and it makes her feel guilty for a moment. It reminds her that she’s not the only one who’s lost a friend today.

She intends to speak, to say something to him, but the words won’t come, and she still can’t quite make herself look up. So she’s relieved when he doesn’t try to make her talk, just sits down beside her on the piano bench. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees a hand in a fingerless glove run idly over the smooth wood of the piano lid, and tears suddenly come into her eyes as she remembers how, not too long ago, the two of them sat on this very bench in this very room and practised a trite, hokey love song together. It had been the first song they’d ever collaborated on, by accident more than design, and it had surprised her how easily it had all fallen into place, how well they’d worked together.

Well enough to have the song included in the school musical, an all original School of the Arts production that had been a raging success, even with the understudy in the leading lady’s role.

Only for a lost voice, Nicole would have been singing that song, and she’d promised Reggie that she’d sing it at some other production some other time.

She wasn’t to know that some other time would turn into never, and the impact of the loss hits Reggie suddenly, wrenches a sob from her chest.

She turns her head, because she doesn’t want Ian to see her cry, doesn’t want to fall apart in front of him. She’s not quick enough though, because, out of the corner of her eye, she sees his head turn towards her, sees the flash of dismay on his face.

She keeps her head turned away, so it’s a surprise to her when she feels his arm going around her, his fingers – cold where the gloves expose them – tightening on her shoulder. She’s not sure if he pulls her closer or if she falls against him, but the next thing she knows, her face is buried in his shoulder, arms wrapped around his neck, and she is crying as if she’s never going to stop.

In years to come, if anyone asks her when she knew she was in love with Ian, that’s the occasion she’ll think of – when he comforted her over her best friend’s death, and managed to do it without saying a word.


End file.
